SANTA CLARA -- Intel (INTC) on Tuesday confirmed that it has acquired Omek Interactive, an Israeli startup that offers gesture-recognition technology to device manufacturers, technology the Santa Clara company could use for a television set-top box that is in development.

Intel Israel spokesman Guy Grimland confirmed that the deal has closed in an email Tuesday, declining to specify the price Intel paid; Israeli news source Haaretz reported that the price was close to $50 million. Grimland also provided a statement, which read, "The acquisition of Omek Interactive will help increase Intel's capabilities in the delivery of more immersive perceptual computing experiences."

Intel has been developing a set-top box that it expects to deliver in 2013, and company spokesman Jon Carvill said earlier this year that the device will include a built-in camera that can recognize users and maintain profiles of the programming each of them prefers. Adding gesture-recognition features to such a camera could allow viewers to control their TV sets by moving their hands or other gestures, similar to Microsoft's Kinect hardware that connects to the Xbox 360.

The Kinect's technology was developed by another Israeli startup, PrimeSense, which The Calcalist reported Tuesday is an acquisition target for Apple (AAPL). The Cupertino tech giant also is rumored to be developing a television offering that advances beyond the capabilities of Apple TV, a set-top dongle Apple has offered for years.

Israel has been a prime target for Silicon Valley acquisitions of late, as companies use overseas profits to purchase foreign companies while avoiding repatriation taxes levied when the cash is brought back to the United States.

In a February interview with CNBC, Cisco (CSCO) CEO John Chambers said his San Jose company would acquire only foreign companies as long as its overseas stash of cash remained outside of the United States. Since that interview, Cisco committed $475 million for Israeli wireless-network software maker Intucell and invested $15 million in Israeli venture capital funds.

Other large acquisitions of Israeli startups by Silicon Valley stalwarts include Google's (GOOG) recent purchase if social-mapping company Waze, which was reported to be worth about $1 billion; Facebook's 2012 acquisition of facial-recognition company Face.com; and Apple's 2012 acquisition of flash-memory maker Anobit. Bloomberg News reported last year that Israel had the most startups per capita of any nation in the world.

Intel stock was boosted by investors following the acquisition, with shares increasing 1.3 percent to $24.25 Tuesday despite overall declines for Wall Street's main indexes.

Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/mercbizbreak.